Form for front and rear or automobile-tops.



A; H. STOKES. FORM FOR FRONT AND REAR 0F AUTOMOBILE TOPS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I, 1914.

Patented June 29, 1915.

@ H II ion -/ITTOR/VEY8 WITNESSES q (QMQW ARTHUR STOKES, OF DETROIT,MICHIGAN:

FORM FOR FRONT AND REAR OF AUTOMOBILE-TOPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1%15.

Application filed an 1, 1914. Seria1No.842,05/.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Aatrncn ii. STOKES, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Detroit, in the countyct Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented new and Improved Forms forFront and Rear of Automobile-Tops, ofwhich the following is a full,clea.r, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for shaping orroiuiding the'front and rear portions of automobile or other vehicletops and more partirailarly to forms for such purpose.

The essential object of the invention is evolved by the provision ofshaping devices of the class described contructed of suitable sheetmaterial-such as very thin metal, shaped to therequired design. to causethe front and rear portions of a vehicle top to take a rounding shapewhereby a very desirable style and appearance is produced, as well asproviding nieans permitting reinforcement of the cover or hood of thetop at these particular points.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention resides inthepeculiar combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter morefully described, illustrated and claimed, it being also an object toprovide a device which is simple in construction, durable andel'licient.

Reference is to be had to the accon'ipanying drawings torining a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a vehicle top equipped with the irnprovenwnt; Fig. 2 is aplan view of a fragmentary portion of a form constructed in accordancewith the invention; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line33 of Fig, 2 concluding with the complete devim as shown in Fig. 2; Fig.4. is a detail view of a. nlodilicd form of the device.

in illustrating the application of the forms for front and rear ofHlltUlliOlJllG or ether vehicle tops, the body portion 10 of a vehicle.is shown having a folding top 11 preferably constructed in accordal'icewith the description set up in my co-pending application Ser al No.8et7,649,filed June 27, 1914. Ordinarily the front and rearfportions ofthe cover or hood 12X when bent around the bows 13 and let form abruptends not desired in vehicle tops anditthich often result in thedestruction and wearing of the cover or hood at these particular pointsdue a to the constant strain thereon and especially when the top isfolded. To obviate these diliiculties I provide the :l'orming or shapingmember 15 at the front of the top and the forming or shaping member 16at the rear of the top. These devices or members are preferablyconstructed of some sheet material such as thin sheet metal sufficientto sustain the strain and weight placed thereon without materiallyadding to the weight of the top, and as shown, the device 15 is ofquadrantal cross section or substantially that of a quarter segment of acircle with a convex face portion 17 causing the cover or hood to berounded. The device is fastened to the bow H, as shown at 18, and may beconstructed of a single section pressed or molded into shape or of anintermediate section 19 and end section 20 joined thereto by brazing,weldii'ig; or otherwise, as shown in Fig. i: of the drawings.

The forming or shaping device at the rear of the top is of largercurvature and like the rounded end portions provided for the form 15 isprovided with rounded end portions 21 and straight portions 22 extendingfrom its curved corner portion 23 forward and rearwardly respectively.In order to attach this form to the bow 13 it is provided intermediateor between its longitudinal edges with a plurality of alternatelyarranged longitudinal slots 24 and apertures 25, at either side of thelatter of which similar apertures 26 are also provided. The bow isdisposed bcneathsaid slots and apertures or the form arranged to bringthe parts in this relation with the ends of the bows conforming; to thecurls of the form or shaping device and with braces 27 secured to theinner face of the form at spaced distances through the apertures 26.After the application of the form to the how the braces will contactwith the inner face of the bow at the arch thereof and are socured inposition as by means of fastening devices or rivets 28 passing throughthe apertures 25, the bow and corresponding, apertures in the braces.

The braces are mainly of angular form but between their extremities andthe intermediate portion are bowed or made convexly tening means passingthrough the slots 24 at the proper intervals allowed by the provision ofthese slots, the front and rear portions will be rounded and supported,as is more particularly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. When the top isfolded, the forms accommodate or produce housings for the bows. This ispreferable as it makes the top fold up more neatly and completely, thusreducing the bulky appearance of the top when folded. In this manner therounded form piece on the rear bow serves as a mold for the slip-coverof the top when folded, thus enhancing the appearance of the car andgiving a curved appearance to the lower part of the folded top to accordwith the lower part of the body at the back of the car.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is l. The combination with a vehicle topprovided with bows; of a convexly arcuate shaping device extendedtransversely across said top at one end thereof and having end membersarranged longitudinally of said top and means for securing the device tothe respective bow.

2. The combination with a vehicle top provided with bows; of a convexlyarcuate shaping device extended transversely across said top at one endthereof and having end members arranged longitudinally of said top, theconnection of the end members being rounded to shape a cover, and meansfor securing said device and cover to the respective bow.

- 3. In a form for automobile tops, the combination .with a bow; of asheet metal device shaped in convex form and bent lengthwise to fit thecurvature of the bow and having a plurality of openings arrangedlongitudinally therein, and means for securing the vehicle top; of aformer to cause the cover of the top to take a rounding effect, saidformer comprising a sheet metal member conveXly bent with rounded endsand having a plurality of longitudinal slots and intermediate openings,,braces connecting the former to a bow, and a cover attached to the bowthrough the slots.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses. I

ARTHUR H. STOKES.

'Witnesses INA MATHESON, DUNCAN L. LIVINGSTON.

